Soft-sided emergency medical kits are widely used by paramedics, search and rescue and the like. One drawback, however, of conventional soft-sided kits is that they may absorb fluids such as blood or battery acid, fluids often found in the vicinity of automobile accidents. Typical soft-sided kits exposed to such fluids must thus be cleaned thoroughly for re use or discarded.
Another drawback of conventional soft-sided kits is that because they are soft-sided, they tend to wear out. Further, it has been found that soft-sided medical kits which have side pockets extending from the body of the kit, can be unstable and prone to tipping over when the side pockets are heavily laden. Consequently, it is the object of the invention to provide a hard-shell detachable bottom for such soft-sided medical kits. Apart from adding stability to the soft-sided kit and providing a liquid impervious shield for when the kit is placed on the ground, the further object of the invention is to provide a simple yet effective mechanism for releasably mounting the hard-shell bottom to the bottom of soft-sided kits so as to removably yet securely hold the hard-shell bottom in place.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide releasable fastening of the hard-shell bottom of the present invention to the bottom of soft-sided kits which releasable fastening relies on the additional fastening strength of conventional hook and loop fasteners when the surfaces to be detached have to be sheared apart rather than the more conventional peeling of one side of the hook and loop fastener from the other. Consequently, it is an object of the invention to provide hook and loop fastening between vertical sides of the hard-shell bottom of the present invention and vertical sides of the soft-sided kit so as to vertically mate counterpart hook and loop strips.
In the prior art, Applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,526 which issued to Jacober on Feb. 25, 1992 for a self-supporting, selectively collapsible soft-walled carrier. Jacober discloses a soft-walled carrier 10 including a removable end panel insert 32 that provides additional support.
Applicant is also aware of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,898 which issued to Plough et al. on Nov. 24, 1981 for a peace officer's equipment bag. Plough et al. teaches vertical Velcro (TM) fasteners 42 and 40 whereby flap 39 may be secured to the equipment bag. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,866 which issued to Thomas on Apr. 30, 1985 for an emergency medical pack teaches the use of fasteners 46 onto which hook and loop fasteners are attached.
Neither Jacober, Plough et al., nor Thomas teach nor suggest, whether taken solely or in combination, the device of the present invention, the objects of which are set out above and as hereinafter more fully described.